NPR features a recent report by As You Sow and the Natural Resources Defense Council that highlights some problems with the existing packaging and opportunities for the restaurant and beverage industry.

The report includes a survey of 47 companies in the restaurant and beverage industry on the following criterias: source reduction, or switching to reusable packaging; recycled content; recyclability and materials use; and boosting materials recycling.

None of the 47 companies, which included big players in fast food, beverages and groceries, earned the report's highest "Best Practices" status.

"What are companies doing to show that they have a personal andfinancial responsibility to promote recycling? [We found] relativelyweak examples of leadership," Andrew Behar, CEO of As You Sow said in astatement, "This industry has a long way to go."

CAW attempted to put pressure on the food industry to make more progress with their food packaging with AB 904 (Feuer) and SB 529. AB 904 (Feuer, 2007) and SB 529 (Leno) in 2013, would have required fast food chains to use food packaging that is compatible with local recycling and composting infrastructure. Unfortunately, both bills died.